Al-monitor: Turkey considers citizenship for heirs of displaced Armenians
28.10.2014
It has been revealed, after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's condolence message to the grandchildren of people who lost their lives during the Armenian genocide, that the government was preparing to take another significant step: Granting citizenship rights to grandchildren of Armenians killed or deported is on the agenda. Foreign Ministry officials have confirmed that preparations were in progress. Officials said, “The government is looking favorably to grant Turkish citizenship rights to succeeding generations of Armenians who have lost their citizenship, if they so wish. Preparatory work is in progress.”
Offering citizenship to Armenians was first discussed at a meeting in Ankara last January and was reported by Taraf. At the “Looking at Hrant Dink Assassination from 2015 Perspective Forum” organized by the Ankara Freedom of Opinion Initiative and the Western Armenians National Congress, a proposal was aired to issue Turkish identity cards and passports to diaspora Armenians who wish to have them.
On September 13, 2018, Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development (UFSD) hosted a workshop on “Exchange of Best Practices in Plastic Waste Management between Armenia- and Turkey-based CSOs and Practitioners.” The workshop is part of a project that contributes to the development of cooperation between environmentalists, waste management practitioners, businesses and local authorities of Armenia and Turkey through sharing best practices in plastic waste management. The grantee, Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development in partnership with the Union of Diyarbakir Young Businessmen organized a 1-day workshop in Diyarbakir with participation of 20 representatives of local authorities, plastic waste management practitioners, environmental CSOs, businesses in the field of plastic waste separation and recycling from Armenia and Turkey. The workshop was followed by a study visit to Plastic Waste Recycling Plant in Diyarbakir, as well as a follow-up exchange workshop in Yerevan. Based on the results of the study visit and workshops UFSD will produce a booklet on the best practices of plastic waste management in Armenia and Turkey. The project will result in an increased awareness of stakeholders of the plastic waste management practiced on the other side of the border, as well as will provide an opportunity for networking between practitioners and businesses focusing on plastic waste management. Representatives of local authorities may consider replicating the best practices in plastic waste management in their own communities.
This activity took place within the framework of the Sub-grants Scheme implemented by Eurasia Partnership Foundation as part of the “Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalization Process” programme, funded by the European Union and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
